The Jewish Law of Divorce, According to Bible and Talmud With Some Reference to Its Development in Post-Talmudic Times

by David Werner Amram

Excerpt

IN 'the year 1888, a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal Church was tried in the Ecclesi astical Court of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, upon the charges of immorality and breach of his ordi nation vow. His chief offense was his second marriage after he had been divorced from his first wife, because of her desertion, a ground of divorce not recognized by the Church. The most interest ing question of law in the case arose out of the view which the Church took on the subject of Marriage and Divorce. The consideration of this question led me to inquire into the Jewish law on the subject as found in Bible and Talmud for the purpose of understanding the relation between two such apparently dissimilar texts as Deuteronomy xxiv, 1 — 4, and Matthew xix, 3-9. Deeper interest in the subject led to further study and eventually to the preparation of the mass of accumulated material for publication.